Single sex schools

[nervousmom]

For anyone north of Birmingham with notable exceptions(at least one in the famous five) the issue doesn't arise.

I think that's me!

Yes, we are south of Birmingham and are therefore fortunate to have the choice of two mixed GS - FW and Alcester. We ideally wanted mixed as we were thinking ahead to DD and thought it was easier to have them at same school.

The only schools we viewed for my DS 3 years ago were FW, KES and Alcester

I loved KES but DS was adamant he didn't want a boys school and wanted mixed.

The obvious choice then was FW, although KES was second with AGS first.

With DD it was a bit different, we wanted her at FW with her brother, so she's not had a choice in this! Although she's been to FW numerous times and is very happy that she should be joining her brother next year.

We visited Stratford Girls, but DD wasn't keen, so this time round our 2nd choice was Alcester, as again DD wanted a mixed school.

Everyone has different views on this. My mom for example thinks all secondary schools should be single sex, to ensure teenagers with raging hormones keep their thoughts on their work

Personally I prefer the mixed education, as I feel it makes the kids more rounded.

[quasimodo]

Would anyone be able to tell me if there are any mixed sex activities at the local boys grammar schools?

My mom for example thinks all secondary schools should be single sex, to ensure teenagers with raging hormones keep their thoughts on their work

When I read the thread I misread the first contribution now in the context of your mums views my misinterpretation makes sense.

[nervousmom]

That's made me chuckle - I think that's probably what she meant

[Happy dad]

Everyone has different views on this. My mom for example thinks all secondary schools should be single sex, to ensure teenagers with raging hormones keep their thoughts on their work

DS2 is at Adams' boys school but the sixth form girls sure get his hormones raging

[Petitpois]

Just remind him of the number of A/A* needed to get into 6th form

[JaneEyre]

Having looked around an all boys school it was a massive eye opener - I had (naïvely, perhaps) never considered the fact that single sex means so much is then prepared and aimed at the boys/girls specific interests - there was a lot about the all boys school that made us really stop and think, in a wow, our son would love this, kind of way. I can actually begin to see how it works so well. I would recommend visiting the single sex schools to see for yourselves and don't totally discount them yet, equally your son may be interested to see - for example our son stood in the QM library just drinking in the books - because he'd never seen a library that catered so totally to his tastes before - we had a hard job dragging him out of there to carry on with the tour (it wasn't even an amazing library, just fully stocked with 'boys' books).

Totally agree. I feel so lucky that DS is surrounded by people who take care to address 'boys issues' and recommend 'boys' books' to them. My DS's year 8 English teacher gave the class such a lovely list of books with no Jane Austen's titles nor any Bronte sisters' ones. I am so happy because my knowledge of good titles for a boy would not have been as extensive without this help!
Titles like 'The Old Man and the sea', or 'White Fang' or '1984' [...] are well-known to me, but I would never have thought on my own about 'The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy', 'I, Robot', '2001: A space Odyssey'.etc...

Also, it is lovely to see him sharing so much knowledge concerning computing with another enthusiast!

Children have a social life outside their school and if they feel the need to meet members of the opposite sex, they will do so! No need to be in a mixed school for that!
In fact, I remember being extremely shocked when a classmate of my DD at a girl school arrived late at one of her GCSE exams because she was with her boyfriend in a bed for the first time. Sometimes, I just do not understand some empty-headed teenagers! But it is not my business!

And thirty years ago, in my posh and very high-ranked institution & boarding school near Paris, a girl in my class managed to get pregnant at the beginning of her 'Terminale' (equivalent to year 13), though we were out of this venerable institution just from 4:30 on Saturdays afternoon till 7:30 on Mondays morning... Needless to say, she left the institution before anything became apparent, the secret has been well-kept (official version: 'she had health problems') and I came to know about her baby one year later while meeting with classmates...

I think Petit Pois's advice is rather good:

Just remind him of the number of A/A* needed to get into 6th form

and how many A/A* are needed at A-level to go onto selective course at uni!

[bewilderedofbearwood]

KE Aston and KEVIHS do drama productions and some activity days together. But the French exchange for KEVIHS was with Bishop Vesey boys! As far as I know (Year 10 KEVIHS daughter), KEVIHS have no activities with HGS.

QMGS and Bishop Vesey admit girls in the sixth form.

Thanks Turtlegirl, that's good to know about Aston. He really likes drama too.

[bewilderedofbearwood]

Thanks everyone for your comments. Having a chuckle about the onslaught of raging hormones

I am going to keep an open mind and will certainly be visiting a number of grammars next year and will take the DS to do the tours in year 5.

Schools geared to boys activities is something I hadn't really given much thought. He is a typical boy in many respects but he ends up spending most of his time in the classroom with girls because, in his words "they like learning". Perhaps when he is able to see an environment where boys are keen on learning he will not be so worried about girls being there.

[JaneEyre]

He is a typical boy in many respects but he ends up spending most of his time in the classroom with girls because, in his words "they like learning". Perhaps when he is able to see an environment where boys are keen on learning he will not be so worried about girls being there.

My DS used to be a bit like that too as there were some rough boys in his class in primary school and the girls were often better behaved! Now, he does not miss the girls at all... though maybe I would have liked him to see some girls around with their neat handwriting!!
But he really loves his boy school ; I am thrilled to bits and relieved he is there!

[Petitpois]

I kind of get a little frustrated at the class size issue as much as single sex stuff.

Where state schools really fall over is the lack of tailoring to individual children's need by lumping 30+ kids in a room, boys and girls, interested parents vs non interested parents, SEN and then aiming for the average level 4 by year 6, out of fear of ofsted.

My DD is sick of having less able kids shoved on her desk by over stressed teachers, hoping that they will get help from her, freeing them up to concentrate on the really struggling kids.

One additional downside is that girls have a different focus to boys even in primary. Boys need education tailored to them. When you have a sausage machine education system, it is not surprising that boys can get left behind.

It is really hollow watching them spout hollow slogans such as "every child matters" and lets put the child at the centre of the conversation. Hard to argue against (like motherhood and apple pie), but used more often than not to paper over the cracks in a crumbling system.

If you can win the lottery and get a boys education, take it (and five ways ain't far off a boys education as well, despite it being nominally mixed).

BTW DD2 still hasn't got her pen licence, I am sure she should have been a boy